Transfer device



M. HALLEAD TRANSFER DEVICE Feb. 14, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 27, 1948 \IIIH IIIIIII mnmmm mm I II M INVENTOR.

Msnvu. HALLEAD umwawg ATTORNEY Feb: 14, 1950 M. HALLEAD 2,497,767

TRANSFER DEVICE Filed March 27, 1948 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG-4 INVENTOR. MERVIL HALLEAD Kw w. wQ k-K Patented Feb. 14, 1950 TRANSFER DEVICE Mervil Hallead, Waukesha,

Wis., assignor to Michael Yundt Company, Waukesha, Wis., a corporation of Wisconsin Application March 27, 1948, Serial No. 17,481

1 Claim.

This invention relates to transfer devices for containers such as bottles, cans, jars, and the like, and particularly to such devices which upset or upright the containers during transfer thereof.

In transfer devices of this type, containers are accumulated in an upright position and then tilted and inserted into the receptacles on the main conveyer. Containers are also received from the receptacles and uprighted and transferred in upright position to inspection platforms or interunit conveyers. Such devices heretofore have utilized a large number of moving parts to effectuate the transfer of the containers. For exam ple, it has been necessary to have a separate impelling member to move the containers from the tilter to the receptacles. .As a result the transfer devices were not only expensive to manufacture and operate but also handled the containers in such a rough and jerky manner that considerable breakage took place.

It is an object of this invention, therefore, to provide a container transfer device which will engage the containers, while in upright position on an accumulating platform, and gently and evenly transfer and tilt them and insert them accurately within the receptacles of a main conveyer.

Another object of this invention is to provide a container transfer device in which the contamer-engaging member used for tilting the containers from upright position also provides the means for impelling the containers into the receptacles of the main conveyer.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a container transfer device which will receive the containers from the receptacles of a main conveyer and gently and evenly upright and transfer them to another conveyer.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a container transfer device which is of simple and durable construction, accurate and speedy in operation, and easy and comparatively inexpensive to manufacture.

These objects are obtained by providing a container-engaging member mounted on a pivot which travels in a circular path. The containerengaging member has a bottom arm and a side arm to respectively engage the bottom and side of a container. A cam and rider arrangement controls the relative pivoting of the containerengaging member as it moves in such path. When used as a loader, the container-engaging member contacts the upright container on the up portion of its travel and discharges the container during the change from its up portion to the down portion of its travel and during the initial stages of the down portion. The cam and rider arrangements regulate the pivoting of the contamer-engaging member so that right after initial contact of the upright container the containerengaging member is immediately slightly tilted as it continues to move upwardly to cock the container so that it also rests on the side arm. This prevents the container from falling off the container-engaging membe During the remainder of the upward travel of the container-engaging member, the cam and rider arrangement causes the ccntainer-engaging member to tilt the container to a substantially horizontal position and then maintain it in such position during the change from the up portion to and during the initial stage of the down portion of its travel. During this portion of the travel the container is gently deposited onto a loader slide which thereafter supports and guides it into the receptacle. At the end of this portion of the travel the cam and rider arrangement tilts the container-engaging member so that its side arm is rapidly swung inwardly of the path of travel. This causes the end of the bottom arm to accelerate the movement of the container along the loader, slide projecting it into the receptacle and also withdraws the side arm so that during the further downward travel of the container-engaging member it will avoid coming into the path of the main conveyer. Thus necessary operating space is minimized and the container-engaging member can perform a double function of tilting and impelling. The power to operate the container-engaging member may be taken directly from the countershaft of the drive of the main conveyer and the loader thus synchronized with the main conveyer. In the case of an intermittently indexed main conveyer, the transfer device operates through the loading portion of its cycle while the indexing mechanism operates through the recovery portion of its cycle, and then operates through its return cycle as the indexing mechanism advances the main conveyer. With a continuously operating main conveyer the transfer device is timed to impel the container as the container carrier comes opposite the loader slide. A desired number of the container-engaging members may be mounted on a single shaft and pivoted as a unit by one cam and rider arrangement, thus accommodating the transfer device to main conveyers handling a different number of containers for each transverse holder. The transfer device may also be utilized to receive containers from the receptacles, from which they are ejected by customary means, transfer, upright, and then deposit them in such upright position gently on a transfer table. For unloading, the direction of travel of the container-engaging member is reversed but no change is necessary in the cam and rider arrangement; hence, the transfer dcvice is interchangeable for use as a loader or unloader. The drive as an unloader is taken from the same countershaft as the loader drive and is synchronized as previously described.

The novel features, which are considered characteristic of the invention, are set forth with particularity in the appended claim. The invention itself, however, both as to its organization and its method of operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will best be understood from the following description of a specific embodiment when read in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary diagrammatic view in plan elevation of a container-Washing machine having incorporated therewith a transfer device embodying the present invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary top view taken from line 2--2 of Fig. 1, part being broken away and shown in section for the sake of clarity of illustration;

Fig. 3 is asectional view taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 2; and.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on line 44 of Fig. 3.

Referring to the drawings by reference numerals, the transfer device T is shown connected with a container-washing machine Ill, such as is fully described in the patent to Henry F. Stock No. 1,729,193. The. washer I is provided with an endless conveyer I I which has a series of container carriers or receptacles l2 mounted between its chains. The receptacles I2 may b like those described in detail in the patent to Frederick Gettelman No. 2,296,027. The conveyer ll is moved intermittently by means of indexing mechanisms l3 of usual construction operated from a countershaft l4 driven by a motor 15. The indexing mechanisms are disposed at both ends of the machine and a countershaft I6 connected with the countershaft I4 by a chain I! supplies the drive for other mechanisms. Containers to be washed are loaded on the conveyer at the left end (as viewed in Fig. 1) and unloaded at the right end. When the transfer device T is utilized as a loader (left end) it discharges on a discharge station I8. When it is used as an unloader (right end) it picks up containers from an unloading platform 20. The station I8 and platform are so positioned that when the conveyer stops between intermittent motion a series of receptacles 12 will be in proper alinement with each of the station l8 and platform 20. The transfer device '1' accomplishes the loading of containers into the receptacles I2 but to unload them there is provided an ejecting mechanism 2 I. Such mechanism may be like that described in the Gettelman Patent No. 2,296,027 aforementioned. The ejection mechanism 2| ejects containers from the receptacles 12 during the recovery cycle of the indexing mechanism 13.

In this type of washing machine, as well as in other machines with which the transfer device may be used, it is necessary to feed the containers to the loading station in an upright position and then transfer and tilt them to a nonupright or inclined position for insertion intothe receptacles l2. It is also necessary to receive containers in an in clined position from the receptacles and transfer and tilt them to an upright position for reception on a transfer table. The transfer device T shown herein may be made as a unit and adjustably mounted between opposite side plates 22 of the washer III on supports 23. The unit has spaced side members 24 which constitute its main support. In the drawings only one side of the unit and only one transfer device are shown. However, the side not shown is identically opposite to that shown and any desired number of transfer devices may be used. It is desirable to mount the discharge stations l8 on a transverse bar 25 adj'ustably supported on the side members 24. The transverse bar 25 has a series of spaced fingers 26 a pair of which slidably engage the side of a container to guide it along a respective discharge station l8 into the receptacle l2. The vertical adjustment may be accomplished through bolts 21 and the bar locked in adjusted position by bolts 28. A container-accumulating platform 29 holds containers between spaced members 30 as they are moved forwardly onto the upper surface of spaced fingers 3|. Inwardly curved upwardly projecting lugs 32 on the outermost finger 3| may be used to engage the side of a container and center it on the fingers. Containers may be fed along the surface of the accumulator plat.- form 29 in an upright position by any wellknown means. The platform mayitself constitute a conveyer like that described in the copending application Ser. No. 17,482, filed March 27, 1948, of Mervil Hallead for Power driven conveyer owned by the assignee of this applica tion. A container on the fingers 3-! is engaged from the bottom and transferred upwardly and over to the discharge station [8 by a containerengaging member 39. The travel of this meme her is controlled by the rotation of a transversely extending shaft 33 mounted in suitable bearings 34 on side members 24. One end of the shaft 33 projects through an opening in one of the side plates 22 and has mounted thereon a sprocket 35 driven by chain 36 from countershaft l4. A pair of supports 31 (only one shown) secured to the shaft 33 to rotate therewith rotatably carry a shaft 38 upon. which the desired number of container-engaging members 39 are mounted. As the shaft 33 rotates, the axis of the shaft 38 (the pivotal axis of members 39) travels in the circular path indicated by the broken line P. Each of the members 39 has spaced container-bottom-engaging fingers 40 which ar interspacedly related with the fingers 3! so as to pass therebetween during the travel of said members. Each member 39 also has spaced container-side-engaging fingers 4! which extend at substantially ninety degrees to the fingers 40. The fingers 4! are in the same plane with the outer of fingers 4D and pass between respective pairs of fingers 26 during the travel of members 39.

The path of the members 39 carries them from the loading stations on fingers 3! to the discharge stations on fingers 23 and thence around and back to the loading station. The relative pivoting or tilting of the members 39 about their pivotal axis during their travel is jointly controlled by relative rocking of the shaft 38 under the controlof a cam and rider mechanism. The cam 42 is formed in a member 43 secured to one of the side members 24 and the shaft 23 passes through such member. The cam 42 is preferably of the enclosed type to avoid the necessity of biasing springs. It has a contour as shown in Fig. 3 and is angularly positioned relative to the pick up position of the members 39 as there shown. A. cam rider or roller 44 travels through the cam 42 and is connected to the shaft 38 by a rocker arm 45 keyed to the shaft 38. As the shaft 38 travels around the circular path P it is rocked by the cam 42 and cam rider 43 to position the container-engaging members 33 in the various positions hereinafter described.

The foremost (right side as viewed) container of a row on the platform 29 is positioned on the fingers 3i and centered by the lugs 32. As the shaft 33 rotates clockwise the bottom of such container will be engaged by the fingers 40 with the members 39 tilted as shown in the full lines of Fig. 3 herein referred to as pick up position. (Other tilted positions of the members 39 are shown in broken lines at places indicated generally a, b, c, d, and 6.) Immediately after leaving the pick up position members 39 are tilted as they move in the path P to assume the position a. This combined tilting and movement causes such container to tip and rest securely against the side-engaging fingers 41. As the members 39 move to position a. they are tilted sufficiently so that the fingers 4| are substantially horizontal. From position b to the position c the members 39 advance so that the fingers 4] come into overlapping relationship with the fingers 26. During this advance the fingers 4| are kept substantially horizontal. The container is now resting mainly on the fingers 23 and it is only necessary to advance it therealong until it is injected or impelled into a waiting receptacle l2. This injection is accomplished by the ends of fingers 40 as the members 39 move from position c to the position 01. During such movement the fingers 40 press against the bottom of the container and impel it into the receptacle I2. The cam 42 may also give a slight tilt to the members 39 just before they reach position d to more rapidly move the fingers 43 to supply a little additional momentum to the container. After reaching position d the cam 42 tilts the members 39 so that the fingers 4| are withdrawn to clear other receptacles l2 below that shown in the drawing.

In moving from position 11 to position e the memhere 39 are tilted so that the ends of fingers 41 will clear a container stationed on fingers 31. As the members 33 move from position e to the pick up position they are tilted so that the fingers 40 will be substantially horizontal at the time of engaging a container. It may be desirable with some containers to tilt the fingers 40 a little so that at pick up the outer position of those fingers will first engage the bottom of the container. This can be accomplished by a slight counterclockwise adjustment of the cam 42.

While it is not essential to the operation of the transfer device T it is desirable to mount on the shaft 33 container stops 4B the peripheries of which are spirally shaped as shown in Fig. 3. There will be one of these stops 46 for each of the container-engaging members 39. A pieshaped section 4'! in the stops 46 provides room for the shaft 38 and members 39. As the shaft 33 rotates clockwise from the pick up position, the leading ends of stops 46 will enter between the fingers 3] and prevent other containers from entering upon the fingers 3| during the time that a container is being moved from the pick up station. Thereafter, upon continued rotation of the shaft 33, the container stops 46 by reason of their spiral peripheries gradually permit another container to enter into the pick up station. Thus the pick up station is loaded without possibility of a jerking which might upset the end bottle. The stops 46 are more important with some kind of accumulating conveyers than with others. When a step-by-step accumulating conveyer, such as described and claimed in the aforementioned copending application of Mervil Hallead, is used with the transfer device T, such stepby-step conveyer can be so synchronized with the rotation of shaft 33 that the containers will be advanced without any jerking, and in such case the container stop member is not essential.

When the transfer device T is used as an unloader the unit is twisted through one hundred eighty degrees before being connected with the washer I0. This reverses the direction of rotation of shaft 33 with respect to the cam 42 as viewed in Fig. 3. The container-receiving position of the members 39 is tilted substantially as shown in Fig. 1. Such position corresponds closely to a position between position b and position c of Fig. 3. As the members 39 move counter-clockwise as viewed in Fig. 3 from such position to the set down position (identical with the pick up position of Fig. 3) the containers will be transferred and positioned in upright position on the fingers of a transfer table 48.

Although only one embodiment of the invention is shown and described herein, it will be understood that this application is intended to cover such changes or modifications as come within the spirit of the invention or scope of the following claim:

A transfer device for tilting and moving a bottle comprising an accumulating platform having spaced horizontal fingers on which said bottle is held in upright position, a bottle-engaging member guided for movement in a circular path perpendicular of said platform, said member having bottle-bottom-engaging fingers and bottle-side-engaging fingers extending to said bottle-bottom-engaging fingers, all said engaging fingers being interspaced and overlapping with said platform fingers to engage said bottle and lift it from said platform, a bottle discharge station having spaced horizontal fingers engageable with the sides of said bottle and positioned adjacent the top of said circular path, said fingers being interspaced and overlapping with said engaging fingers to receive bottles from said bottleengaging member, means for tilting said bottleengaging member immediately after said bottlebottom-engaging fingers contact said bottle on said accumulating platform to tip said bottle and rest said bottle against said bottle-side-engaging fingers to prevent said bottle from falling as transferred, means for thereafter tilting said bottle-engaging member so that said bottle-sideengaging fingers are horizontal and maintaining said member in such position as said bottle is carried to said discharge station, and means for advancing the forward travel of the ends of said bottle-bottom-engaging fingers to aid the ejection of said bottle from said member to said station.

MERVIL HALLEAD.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 491,680 Gardner Feb. 14, 1893 1,759,506 Hauk May 20, 1930 1,873,846 Meyer Aug. 23, 1932 2,080,012 Schiff May 11, 1937 2,366,615 Hansen Jan. 2, 1945 2,436,820 Nordquest et a1 Mar. 2, 1948 

